After the recent shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, a student march is taking part across the country in different locations including Amarillo.

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March for Our Lives is an organization that originally marched in 2018 after the shooting in Parkland, FL.   They have decided to march again.  The main March for Lives will take place in Washington, DC, Saturday, June 11.  However, over 100 other March for Lives will be taking place across the country at the same time.

According to the March For Lives website, the mission is:

Born out of a tragic school shooting, March For Our Lives is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence.
We aim to create safe and healthy communities and livelihoods where gun violence is obsolete.

Aaron Phillips along with his union and the Amarillo Education Association is helping to organize the local event.  The Amarillo March for Lives will take place on Saturday, June 11, at 9 am at 7200 I-40 W. Students will be taking part in this peaceful march. The participants won't be marching to a separate location, the march will take place in the parking lot of the Amarillo ISD Education Support Center.

We're hoping to give students and young people an opportunity to speak about the epidemic of gun violence, Phillips said, and how it's impacted them.

 

I asked Mr. Phillips why he decided to help organize a local March for Lives event:

I decided to help organize because I'm tired of seeing the needless pain and suffering gun violence causes for families. As an elementary school teacher, I know that exposure to trauma greatly reduces the opportunities for students to have success.

How long have you worked in education and what have you seen in regards to gun violence?

I've worked for 14 years in education and in that whole time, I've seen schools train and prepare to be next, even though the horrific violence in Uvalde is not something anyone can prepare for. I also strongly disagree with the idea that we harden schools - our kids need safe, loving, and peaceful places to learn.

The solution is simple - scale back access to guns and strengthen regulation and responsibility. Firearms should be for law-abiding citizens that will use them responsibly.

When it comes to practicing lockdown procedures in school how does it affect the students?

Even in elementary school, when we just practice lockdown procedures it's stressful for students. We can't live in a world where children have to be vigilant and aware they may be attacked when they should be curious and learning.

The new CDC report showing gun violence is the leading cause of death for children now also greatly motivates me to do more to speak up for our kids.

If interested in taking part in the Amarillo March for Our Lives you can visit the event page here or you can sign up to take part here.

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